Abstract

This paper looks briefly at the case study of psychopathic sexual serial killer Frederick Walter Stephen West. His criminal behaviour and other behavioural problems are often assumed to be rooted in the home, inadequate discipline, or poor role models. However, based on research arguments presented in this paper, it is obvious that the answer to what significantly contributed to the development of this complex distorted personality and subsequent violent behaviour is far more multifaceted. It seems to be a result of a highly complex interaction of biological, psychological and sociological factors.